按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
corps。 Just as the troopers were deploying； a man on a mule； heading
for Burkeville； rode into my pickets。 He was arrested； of course；
and being searched there was found in his boots this telegram in
duplicate； signed by Lee's Commissary General。
〃The army is at Amelia Court House； short of provisions。 Send
300；000 rations quickly to BurkeVille Junction。〃 One copy was
addressed to the supply department at Danville； and the other to that
at Lynchburg。 I surmised that the telegraph lines north of
Burkeville had been broken by Crook after the despatches were
written； which would account for their being transmitted by
messenger。 There was thus revealed not only the important fact that
Lee was concentrating at Amelia Court House； but also a trustworthy
basis for estimating his troops； so I sent word to Crook to strike up
the railroad toward me； and to Merrittwho； as I have said； had
followed on the heels of the enemyto leave Mackenzie there and
himself close in on Jettersville。 Staff…officers were also
despatched to hurry up Griffin with theFifth Corps； and his tired men
redoubled their strides。
My troops too were hard up for rations； for in the pursuit we could
not wait for our trains； so I concluded to secure if possible these
provisions intended for Lee。 To this end I directed Young to send
four of his best scouts to Burkeville Junction。 There they were to
separate； two taking the railroad toward Lynchburg and two toward
Danville； and as soon as a telegraph station was reached the telegram
was to be transmitted as it had been written and the provisions thus
hurried forward。
Although the Fifth Corps arrived at Jettersville the evening of April
4； as did also Crook's and Merritt's cavalry； yet none of the army of
the Potomac came up till about 3 o'clock the afternoon of the 5th；
the Second Corps； followed by the Sixth； joining us then。 General
Meade arrived at Jettersville an hour earlier； but being ill；
requested me to put his troops in position。 The Fifth Corps being
already intrenched across the Amelia Court House road facing north； I
placed the Sixth on its right and the Second on its left as they
reached the ground。
As the enemy had been feeling us ever since morningto learn what he
was up to I directed Crook to send Davies's brigade on a
reconnoissance to Paine's crossroads。 Davies soon found out that Lee
was trying to escape by that flank； for at the crossroads he found
the Confederate trains and artillery moving rapidly westward。 Having
driven away the escort； Davies succeeded in burning nearly two
hundred wagons； and brought off five pieces of artillery。 Among
these wagons were some belonging to General； Lee's and to General
Fitzhugh Lee's headquarters。 This work through； Davies withdrew and
rejoined Crook； who； with Smith and Gregg； was established near Flat
Creek。
It being plain that Lee would attempt to escape as soon as his trains
were out of the way； I was most anxious to attack him when the Second
Corps began to arrive； for I felt certain that unless we did so he
would succeed in passing by our left flank； and would thus again make
our pursuit a stern…chase； but General Meade； whose plan of attack
was to advance his right flank on Amelia Court House； objected to
assailing before all his troops were up。
I then sent despatches to General Grant； explaining what Davies had
done； and telling him that the Second Corps was arriving； and that I
wished he himself was present。 I assured him of my confidence in our
capturing Lee if we properly exerted ourselves； and informed him；
finally； that I would put all my cavalry； except Mackenzie； on my
left； and that； with such a disposition of my forces； I could see no
escape for Lee。 I also inclosed him this letter； which had just been
captured：
〃AMELIA C。 H。； April 5； 1865。
DEAR MAMMA：
〃Our army is ruined； I fear。 We are all safe as yet。 Shyron left us
sick。 John Taylor is wellsaw him yesterday。 We are in line of
battle this morning。 General Robert Lee is in the field near us。 My
trust is still in the justice of our cause； and that of God。 General
Hill is killed。 I saw Murray a few minutes since。 Bernard； Terry
said； was taken prisoner； but may yet get out。 I send this by a
negro I see passing up the railroad to Mechlenburg。 Love to all。
〃Your devoted son；
〃Wm。 B。 TAYLOR； Colonel。〃
General Grant； who on the 5th was accompanying General Ord's column
toward Burkeville Junction； did not receive this intelligence till
nearly nightfall； when within about ten miles of the Junction。 He
set out for Jettersville immediately； but did not reach us till near
midnight； too late of course to do anything that night。 Taking me
with him； we went over to see Meade； whom he then directed to advance
early in the morning on Amelia Court House。 In this interview Grant
also stated that the orders Meade had already issued would permit
Lee's escape； and therefore must be changed； for it was not the aim
only to follow the enemy； but to get ahead of him； remarking during
the conversation that； 〃he had no doubt Lee was moving right then。〃
On this same occasion Meade expressed a desire to have in the
proposed attack all the troops of the Army of the Potomac under his
own command； and asked for the return of the Fifth Corps。 I made no
objections； and it was ordered to report； to him。
When； on the morning of the 6th； Meade advanced toward Amelia Court
House； he found； as predicted； that Lee was gone。 It turned out that
the retreat began the evening of the 5th and continued all night。
Satisfied that this would be the case； I did not permit the cavalry
to participate in Meade's useless advance； but shifted it out toward
the left to the road running from Deatonsville to Rice's station；
Crook leading and Merritt close up。 Before long the enemy's trains
were discovered on this road； but Crook could make but little
impression on them； they were so strongly guarded； so； leaving
Stagg's brigade and Miller's battery about three miles southwest of
Deatonsvillewhere the road forks； with a branch leading north
toward the Appomattoxto harass the retreating column and find a
vulnerable point； I again shifted the rest of the cavalry toward the
left； across…country； but still keeping parallel to the enemy's line
of march。
Just after crossing Sailor's Greek； a favorable opportunity offering；
both Merritt and Crook attacked vigorously； gained the Rice's Station
road； destroyed several hundred wagons； made many prisoners； and
captured sixteen pieces of artillery。 This was important； but more
valuable still was the fact that we were astride the enemy's line of
retreat； and had cut off from joining Longstreet； waiting at Rice's
Station； a corps of Confederate infantry under General Ewell；
composed of Anderson's； Kershaw's； and Custis Lee's divisions。
Stagg's brigade and Miller's battery； which； as I have said； had been
left at the forks of the Deatonsville road； had meanwhile broken in
between the rear of Ewell's column and the head of Gordon's； forcing
Gordon to abandon his march for Rice's Station； and to take the
right…hand road at the forks； on which he was pursued by General
Humphreys。
The complete isolation of Ewell from Longstreet in his front and
Gordon in his rear led to the battle of Sailor's Creek； one of the
severest conflicts of the war； for the enemy fought with desperation
to escape capture； and we； bent on his destruction； were no less
eager and determined。 The capture of Ewell； with six of his generals
and most of his troops； crowned our success； but the fight was so
overshadowed by the stirring events of the surrender three days
later； that the battle has never been accorded the prominence it
deserves。
The small creek from which the field takes its name flows in a
northwesterly direction across the road leading from Deatonsville to
Rice's Station。 By shifting to the left； Merritt gained the Rice's
Station road west of the creek； making havoc of the wagon…trains；
while Crook struck them further on and planted himself square across
the road。 This blocked Ewell； who； advancing Anderson to some high
ground west of the creek； posted him behind barricades； with the
intention of making a hard fight there； while the main body should
escape through the woods in a westerly direction to roads that led to
Farmville。 This was prevented； however； by Crook forming his
division； two brigades dismounted and one mounted； and at once
assaulting all along Anderson's front and overlapping his right；
while Merritt fiercely attacked to the right of Crook。 The enemy
being thus held； enabled the Sixth Corpswhich in the meantime I had
sent forto come upon the ground； and Ewell； still contending with
the cavalry； found himself suddenly beset by this new danger from his
rear。 To； meet it； he placed Kershaw to the right and Custis L